Curtain Call
by Irhaboggles
Summary: "Bravo! Encore! What a show!" the ecstatic shouts filled the theater hall and, in response, one by one, every single actor assembled onto the stage for one final bow. The leads were the last to go, taking center stage together, hand in hand even after the curtain had fallen to signal the end of the show. What a glorious night it had been!


"Bravo! Encore! What a show!" Galinda shouted as she and her best friend, Elphaba Thropp, got to their feet and applauded. The Shiz Theater Troupe had certainly outdone itself this time! Galinda had always enjoyed theater, but tonight's show had been beyond amazing. It had surpassed her wildest dreams! And even Elphaba was in sheer ecstasy, and she wasn't typically one to go to operas or plays or musicals. Elphaba even let out a whistle of appreciation as she, Galinda and the rest of the house continued to cheer and applaud.

The girls watched in awe as the very last chord of the closing score was played. The stage slowly darkened and, for about 10 seconds, there was only blackness. Then the lights slowly turned back on and the entire cast assembled on the stage for their final bows. One by one, every major character stepped out onto center stage one last time, accepting their praise and adulation with grandiose bows.

Finally, then, the leads of the show took the stage. Their round of applause was the loudest of all. Elphaba was sure that even the people on the other end of campus would be able to hear it. Galinda, meanwhile, was practically beside herself. This was because the leads of the show had been star-crossed lovers and their final scene together had been a tragic farewell. But now, here at the curtain call, they were standing together hand in hand once again and they took their final bow at the same time, hands still interlocked. For some reason, this little action resonated with Galinda so much that she began to sob, finding it all incredibly romantic. But finally, the last bow was taken and a large, scarlet curtain lowered itself from the ceiling. It descended down onto the group of actors, encompassing them in darkness and signaling the end of the show.

ooo

Elphaba shrieked the second the water struck her body and she began to wail in terror and horror as she felt the skin melting off of her bones before her very eyes. She continued to panic and rage against her bitter fate to die in such a horrible way, but it was too late to do anything. Instead, as she melted, growing smaller and smaller, her robes began to rise up all around her and her favorite black hat began to sink over her eyes. In the back of her mind, despite all the pain she was in, Elphaba couldn't help but think about how much it reminded her of watching a curtain close at the end of the play, only this time, it wasn't just a play that was ending, it was her very life. The hat continued to sink down her head as she got smaller and smaller. Finally, then, the lights went out completely.

Years and years later, someone else suffered a very similar fate. It was Lady Glinda Upland, Elphaba's old best friend. The disgraced woman sat alone in her little jail cell, staring idly at the bars she was locked behind. She had been stuck in this place for about a year, but at long last, she could feel her vision going dark. Then, right after she completely lost her sight, she heard her cell door screech open. She did not need her vision in order to know who it was that had opened the door. It was Her. It had to be. Who else would be waiting for her after the curtain call?

As Glinda felt the curtains of death fall over the show of her life, she grinned all the harder as a familiar voice rang through her ears again.

"Bravo, Encore! What a show!"

ooo

A blinding light flashed on overhead and Elphaba blinked in surprise. That all-encompassing darkness she had been trapped in vanished as quickly as it had come. Slowly, then, her eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness and she gasped softly in surprise. For a moment, she hadn't had the slightest clue where she was, but as her eyes grew accustomed to the blinding white light from above, she began to realize that she was standing backstage at a theater! And as she began to make her way through that backstage area, she realized that she was not alone in this place either. Elphaba managed to find all of her family and friends here, each appearing one by one in the ever-brightening light. They were all waving and laughing and cheering, standing hand in hand and heart to heart.

"Nessa? Dr. Dillamond? Fiyero? Boq?" Elphaba reeled off their names as each and every person appeared. They all smiled at her, faces glowing like angels. Each of them looked far better here than they ever had at any point back when they were still alive. Elphaba could only shake her head in amazement, but then all of her confusion and doubts finally faded away when one last person came in through the door to the backstage. It was Glinda. Elphaba recognized her excited little shriek at once. That was when Elphaba finally started to believe...

"ELPHIE!" Glinda had seen Elphaba first, but it didn't take Elphaba long to whip around and see her as well. Without even thinking, the two women began to run towards each other until they finally collided, leaping into each other's arms for a very long-awaited reunion. The two met in the middle, running into each other's arms and spinning around with shrieks and laughs of delight. Joy unmatched shone in their eyes as they were finally reunited again after so very long apart and alone. As they continued to hug tightly, the eager noise of the crowd became a dull roar in the distance and the pure, blinding light finally dimmed down.

"We've been waiting for you!" Elphaba and Glinda's friends called out to them. "Come here now! It's time to take your bows!"

"Well, shall we?" Elphaba asked Glinda, excitement rising up in her expression.

"We shall!" the little blond agreed, then they joined the very long lineup of other old friends who were eagerly waiting for them to arrive. Once they were all together again, the entire lineup exchanged one last smile before they took a step forward. The lights flashed again and the roar of the crowd became deafening, but it was not overwhelming. On the contrary, it was exhilarating!

"Bravo, Encore! What a show!"

But finally, the last bow was taken and a large, scarlet curtain lowered itself from the heavens. It descended down onto Elphaba and her friends, encompassing them in darkness and signaling the end of the show.

ooo

Years and years later, one last chord echoed the theater hall before everything was plunged into darkness. Almost instantly, eager applause and cheers filled the area. Slowly, then, the lights returned, and a huge cast took the stage one last time. One by one, every actor stepped forward to take a bow. Once they were finished, then, they all stepped away to the sides as the leads of the play came in. They were holding hands tightly as they took the center stage, smiling like there was no tomorrow. These two had been separated in life, but united in "death", at the curtain call. Separated in the story, reunited at the final bows. It was a successful show and all those who exited the theater could only say one thing:

"Bravo, Encore! What a show!"

**AN: Inspired off the fact that if you watch the curtain call for Wicked, Elphaba and Glinda always take the stage TOGETHER. And I like to see it as a metaphor that even though they part at the end of the show, they are reunited afterward (the afterlife/the curtain call, whatever you want to name it). Of course, I know it's not really that deep or metaphorical, but a hopeless and helpless queer girl such as myself can dream!**


End file.
